The Spellshop

The Spellshop: A Cozy, Enchanting Fantasy of Magic, Love, and Second Chances

Sarah Beth Durst’s romantasy debut delivers a whimsical, cottagecore tale brimming with stolen spellbooks, unexpected friendships, delicious jams, and even sweeter romance.

"Sarah Beth Durst is the hidden gem of the fantasy world." —Book Riot

For Kiela, people have always been difficult—but books? Those she understands. As the librarian of the Great Library of Alyssium, she has spent over a decade preserving the empire’s most precious spellbooks, alongside her loyal assistant, Caz, a magically sentient spider plant. But when a revolution erupts and the library is set ablaze, Kiela and Caz rescue as many spellbooks as they can and flee to the one place she swore she’d never return—her childhood home on a distant island.

Hoping to lay low in the neglected cottage her late parents left behind, Kiela soon finds herself entangled with a nosy (and infuriatingly handsome) neighbor and a town in dire need. The empire, despite its vast magical resources, has long neglected the island, leaving the people to struggle against failing crops, dying livestock, and devastating magical storms.

Determined to right past wrongs, Kiela takes an enormous risk—secretly opening the island’s first-ever spellshop to share magic with those who need it most. But in an empire where providing magic to commoners is punishable by death, her plan is dangerous. As she grows closer to the kind and quirky townspeople, Kiela must decide: will she keep hiding behind her carefully built walls, or will she risk everything to forge a new life—one filled with love, community, and just a little bit of magic?

Perfect for fans of cozy fantasy and Hallmark rom-coms with a mythical twist, The Spellshop is a heartwarming story of found family, self-discovery, and the power of a little rebellion.